Links

COVID-19 Updates

29th May 2020

There is now updated advice for breeders re-homing kittens, please click on the CFSG logo above.

The link below is for a really useful poster to put up in people's homes so that if they become very unwell then the emergency services etc will be alerted to the fact there is a pet. There have been examples of animals being left in homes for periods and the RSPCA only being alerted by neighbours that there is a dog or cat there.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM AGRIA INSURANCE

How Agria will help you protect pets right now?

With coronavirus restrictions sometimes making it more challenging for breeders and owners to access a vet practices with their litters and pets, some puppies and kittens are being left unprotected. So, Agria Pet Insurance has devised some unique solutions specifically to safeguard pets through these unprecedented times.

Relaxed rules

Crucially, to continue supporting pets and owners through this period, we have relaxed our usual rules around vaccinations. Pets that haven’t received primary vaccinations due to the coronavirus outbreak and develop an issue that would have been prevented by a vaccination they were unable to access, will now have that condition covered under their Agria policy.

So this applies to the 5WF product and full policy holders:

Primary vaccinations

If your puppy/ kitten has had none, or if they have had the first but not the second vaccination

They must stay inside. Puppies can be allowed into the garden providing no unvaccinated dogs have been there. Kittens cannot due to the risk from other cats.

Be careful if you have been out of the house not to stroke other dogs and change your clothing and footwear when you come home as a precaution.

If you have other cats or dogs at home that are vaccinated, there is no problem with them mixing with the puppies or kittens. However, we advise keeping dogs on a lead during a walk in case they come into contact with an unvaccinated dog and carry infection home to the puppies.

Providing you have followed the precautions above, there is only an extremely low risk that your puppy or kitten will become infected. There are no long-term or adverse effects from delaying primary vaccinations or repeating the first if the gap between them has become too long.

Booster vaccinations

If your cat or dog’s annual booster is delayed

Seek advice from your practice if it looks like your booster will be overdue.

The longer an animal goes past it's due booster date there is a progressively increased risk of picking up a potentially serious condition as immunity gradually wanes.

If your cat or dog has missed their booster date, consult your vet for advice. We advise that cats must stay inside, and dogs must stay within the house and garden only – providing no unvaccinated dogs have access to the garden.

Providing you have followed the precautions above, there are no long-term or adverse effects from restarting their vaccination course.

During the coronavirus outbreak, cats and dogs insured with an Agria Pet Insurance policy will be covered for any illnesses caused by problems with access to vaccinations – providing the above guidelines have been followed.

Our Senior Veterinary Advisor, and practice owner, Robin Hargreaves, has worked closely with us to devise this solution for you and highlights his views below:

“Times are pretty tough in practice right now, and operating on a restricted basis isn’t ideal for us or the pets registered with us.

“One thing that would make life even harder would be if the percentage of uninsured pets was to rise. In just the past week, my practice has needed to refer four cases for specialist treatment, further evidencing how vital insurance can be.

It’s great news that Agria has relaxed their restrictions around cover for unvaccinated pets, so any that have missed primary vaccinations or gone past their booster date due to current restrictions will still be insured.”

UPDATE 22 APRIL 2020

ATTENTION ALL BREEDERS: DELIVERY OF KITTENS DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC

The delivery of kittens by the breeder to their new homes and by commercial carrier is now permitted by DEFRA. The details of the procedure to be adopted is given in the COVID-19 – ADVICE FOR ANIMAL RELATED BUSINESSES AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES issued by the Canine and Feline Sector Group on 14th April 2020. Breeders should comply strictly with the hygiene requirements and social distancing during the handover.

A letter from DEFRA including confirmation that this advice is authorised and approved by DEFRA has been received by the GCCF Veterinary Officer.

The GCCF advises that breeders, when delivering kittens personally, take copies of both documents (in which the relevant paragraphs have been highlighted ) with them in their vehicle. In the event that they are stopped by the police these documents can be given to the officer to show the reason for travel is permitted by DEFRA. The GCCF has had assurance from the police that this will be acceptable.

COVID-19 –ADVICE FOR ANIMAL RELATED BUSINESSES AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES 7th April 2020 (This guidance is subject to change depending on Government advice) Click on the CFSG logo for the link.

*Attention all breeders: This document contains important information about re-homing kittens that has been endorsed by DEFRA. Please refer to the section on Dog and Cat Breeding on page 4 •

The British Veterinary Association has clarified its position in light of a report on the BBC news website relating to cats and coronavirus. LINK to the BVA website.

Please note that there is no absolute compulsory requirement to keep a cat indoors.

In addition:

1. Consider seriously whether your cat needs to go out depending on your situation and your cats temperament ie use common sense and assess the risk of your cat coming into close contact with people and other pets and also any increased risk to the cat itself in your particular area. If your cat is happy to stay indoors it may be the safest option in some areas.

2. In particular, consider keeping your cat indoors if very friendly and has a habit of approaching strangers for attention and/or entering neighbours houses.

3. If your cat is stressed by confinement and needs to go out for health reasons consider a safety collar with a clear DO NOT TOUCH message.

4. If anyone in your household has been diagnosed with Covid19 or has symptoms of Covid19 infection or is in self isolation keep your cat indoors if at all possible. If you have to let your cat out for welfare reasons, please, for the sake of others, try to avoid all close contact with him/her and adopt strict hygiene procedures as advised by the Government.

Please also see the LINK to information from International Cat Care and International Society of Feline Medicine

FREE WEBINAR - Covid-19, meeting your cat's needs

You can click on this LINK to see a free webinar by International Cat Care's feline behaviourist, Vicky Halls, to find out what you can do to make sure your cat’s needs are met during restrictions put in place to help combat the Covid-19 virus.

JUDGE REPORTS DELAYED

Please note that some Judges are unable to send their reports for publication at the present time:

I am extremely busy as a front line GP so appreciate the issue of show reports being dealt with in this way. Please do apologise on my behalf. I will do them but no guarantee when - hopefully sooner than I imagine.Best wishes - Peter Collin

I manage a team that provide software to ICU's and so the last few weeks have been very stressful and busy.I have also founded and manage a local support group.The reports are on my list and I am doing some each day.I have apologised to the HHP exhibitors on FB.I am very sorry for the delayKirstyn Nicholas-Lumley - Mrs Nicholas-Lumley's full report for the Household Pet CC of GB is now available with other reports for this show.

I am sorry for my delay in reports for the show. These are still in process but as a critical care nurse with experience in the field of military, I‘ve to work between 12-15 h/day in hospital at the moment because I’m in hygiene meetings every day for the Corona (I‘ve all this special trainings) I hope I‘m able to send this very soon but my work is demanding so I ask that you please excuse the delay.

Sabine Mösch Int. FIFe judge - Mrs Mosch's full report is now available on the list for Croydon Cat Club 8th February.

Coronavirus: Kittens of rehoming age

Updated: Saturday 28th March 2020

GCCF rule 1/10b/ii requires all kittens to be vaccinated against Feline Infectious Enteritis(FPV) and Cat “Flu” (FCV & FHV) before leaving for their new homes. However the rule does make provision for rehoming unvaccinated kittens in an emergency as long as the GCCF Office is informed. This provision normally only applies when a breeder is unable to care for their kittens due to illness or accident.

Due to the fact that vets are currently not permitted to provide routine treatment such as vaccination and neutering this concession is temporarily expanded to include kittens from 12 weeks of age when the breeder has not been able to have them vaccinated by a veterinary surgeon and will have real difficulty in providing adequate care of them for an extended period provided Government travel advice permits .

Breeders who have to keep kittens over 12-13 weeks should be mindful of the fact that these kittens become more vulnerable to infectious disease as their maternally derived immunity wanes. They may be unaware that adult cats in their household could well be symptomless carriers of the viruses and a potential source of infection to the kittens. The kittens should be vaccinated before mixing with other cats in the household as vaccination does a good job of providing protection against clinical disease although it may not stop the cats becoming infected (possibly a symptomless infection) and becoming a carrier shedding the viruses . Therefore, it is recommended that you keep these kittens separate from the adults in your household and adopt good hygiene procedures when caring for them (until they have been vaccinated).

Similarly vets are not routinely neutering pets at the current time. Those breeders who do early neuter will either need to keep kittens until their vet is doing this once again, or include reference to the new owner undertaking to do this within their contract of sale

The conditions under which unvaccinated kittens may be rehomed when Government travel advice permits are as follows:

1. The kitten/s must be at least 12 weeks old, in good health and not showing any symptom of contagious disease.

2. The kitten/s must be registered on the non-active register and rehomed as pets. It is not permitted to rehome unvaccinated active registered kittens to a breeding household. This would be placing the kitten’s health and welfare at high risk and there could be no possible justification.

3. Ideally unvaccinated kittens should only be rehomed as single cats or with a sibling. If an unvaccinated kitten is sold to a home with a small number of pet cats the new owner must agree to keep the kitten isolated from the other cat/s until the kitten has completed its vaccination course.

4. The new owner must agree to keep the kitten indoors until it has been vaccinated in accordance with GCCF Rule 1/10b/ii and been neutered.

5. It is strongly recommended that the breeder asks the new owner to sign a contract accepting these conditions. The breeder cannot be responsible for any veterinary costs incurred as a result of the kitten contracting one of the infectious diseases that he/she would normally be vaccinated against unless symptoms appear within 10 days of rehoming.

Pedigree kittens forced to remain unvaccinated in the high risk environment of a multicat household for weeks longer than normal due to Covid 19 travel restrictions qualify on both these counts.

If you are still having difficulty finding a vet willing to vaccinate your kittens please mention this new guidance in the links above to your vet.

If your vet does (and it is at their discretion) agree to vaccinate your kittens please respect and comply with the strict hygiene requirements you will be asked to follow. You will not be allowed to accompany your kittens into the practice. Your vet will give you detailed instructions about this when you arrange the appointment.

In the meanwhile the advice is to isolate your unvaccinated kittens (except of course their mother) from adults in your household and adopt good hygiene precautions when caring for them. It is also a good idea to isolate kittens from their mother as soon as they are fully weaned. This can be done from around 6 weeks of age.

Dr Susan F Moreland BA Vet MB MRCVS

GCCF Veterinary Officer

Breeders and coronavirus (Covid-19)

Vaccination of Kittens

Last updated: Thursday 26th March 2020

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has advised all companion animal veterinary surgeons to restrict their practice to emergency treatment only. As a result many breeders are reporting that they are having great difficulty finding a veterinary surgeon willing to vaccinate their kittens.

The GCCF rule regarding vaccination of kittens is as follows:

1/10b/ii. All cats and kittens must have received two doses of vaccine, 3 to 4 weeks apart, in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations against infectious enteritis (FPV), FHV and FCV (‘cat flu’) at least one week prior to sale and/or leaving for a new home.

Note: in the event of an emergency that requires a cat or kitten to be rehomed that is not fully vaccinated, the office should be informed as soon as possible. (Amended 17.06.2015, 21.2.2018, 19.06.2019).

At present, the current GCCF rules remain unchanged, ie breeders must not rehome unvaccinated kittens and kittens must be fully vaccinated and at least 12-13 weeks old before going to a new home. Current Government advice to stay at home except for essential travel for the next three weeks effectively prevents collection or delivery of kittens at the present time. However, the GCCF is aware that this may have implications for the health and welfare of cats in households due to overcrowding should this situation be extended for a longer period.

The GCCF rule does however allow unvaccinated cats or kittens to be rehomed in an emergency situation. If a breeder is experiencing serious difficulty as a result of not being able to rehome unvaccinated kittens to the extent that the welfare of cats/kittens in their household may be compromised they should inform the GCCF office by email info@gccfcats.org (as the Office is currently unstaffed) and advice about rehoming in this situation will be given. No unvaccinated kitten may be rehomed until at least 12 weeks old. The GCCF is sympathetic to breeders suffering such difficulty.

The Veterinary Officers are constantly monitoring the situation and are involved in discussion with the RCVS and British Veterinary Association requesting that the official advice to vets is made a little more flexible so that vets may use their discretion to provide some routine treatment in circumstances where failure to do so is likely to compromise the animals’ health and welfare.

In light of the possibility that government restrictions could be extended for some time, the GCCF strongly advise that breeders consider not mating any cats until it is clear that restrictions are likely to come to an end.

We are expecting advice and guidance from Defra shortly, but in the meantime we are trying to answer your questions below:

I have a litter of kittens due. What is the advice about visiting families?

Government advice is to stay at home and away from others unless absolutely necessary, so if you already have a litter of kittens, keep in contact with and update new owners by phone, email, video calls, and sending photos – not visits to your home.

We are awaiting clarification from Defra about new owners picking up kittens in these unprecedented times. We’re here to support breeders and new owners, and will update this information as soon as we can.

At all times it’s essential to take extra hygiene precautions and follow government advice depending on your and the new owner’s situation.

Will there be a delay of registering my kittens with GCCF if the office is closed?

There will be a slight delay with our registration services, as staff are working from home for their own safety. However during this time, we would strongly advise that customers use the online methods where possible as there will be unavoidable delays to postal applications.

We were planning a litter but should we now delay this?

We advise against mating cats at the present time. However this has to be a personal decision, based on your individual situation and risk assessment of this, but do consider the difficulties around breeding kittens in the current climate, the potential of you getting poorly and not being able to care for your kittens or cats, whether your local vet will be able to assist if needed and how to deal with prospective owners responsibly when the public have been told they must stay at home and avoid others unless absolutely essential, and the situation is changing rapidly.

How can I best take care of my kittens and cats during this period?

It’s important to follow government advice depending on your situation. If you have symptoms of the virus and feel unwell, the advice is to self-isolate and this includes physical contact with your pets – as hard as it may be. If you live alone and become unwell and need to self-isolate, a friend or family member may be able to care for your cat/s and/or kittens for you, but we are awaiting clarification on this and who can help.

Otherwise, if you have kittens, are feeling well but staying at home and away from others, take extra hygiene precautions: try to avoid facial contact with your cats and kittens, keep your kittens as clean as you can and always wash your hands with soap and water after touching them, preparing their food, and cleaning their sleeping and litter tray area.

Make sure anyone in your household where you are rearing the kittens follows these measures. There is no evidence that cats or dogs can get or transmit Covid-19, but these measures are to reduce the likelihood of your pet spreading the disease through environmental contamination on their fur – so it’s essential to increase hygiene precautions.

Will vets still be on hand to assist if something goes wrong?

Government advice is to stay at home and avoid others, unless absolutely necessary, so if your cat or kittens need vet care during this period, call your vet in the first instance. Don’t leave the house to go to your vet if you are self-isolating. Better still, check NOW what level of service your Vet is able to provide.

Vets are classed as ‘key workers’ so you will be able to get advice from your vet if you call them.

What should I do if I need to get my kittens vaccinated or microchipped?

Firstly, speak to your vet to ask them what they recommend and what procedures they are presently carrying out. Due to the measures set out by government at this time, vaccinations and microchipping are likely to be paused for now.

We’re here to support breeders however we can, and will update this information as soon as we can.

Is it safe for someone else to take care of cats that I breed from if I'm taken ill or have to self-isolate?

We are seeking clarification from Defra and charities on this point and will update this information as soon as we can.

In the meanwhile if you have worries about the care of your cats if you should become seriously ill it is a good idea to make a list showing all their identity details including the following:

GCCF Registration Number, Registered and pet names

Microchip number

Breed, sex, date of birth

Dietary requirements

Any ongoing health problems including medication

Such a list will be of great help to anyone who has to care for your cats in an emergency. It should be kept with your cats’ vaccination certificates.

REGISTRATIONS & IMPORT DOCUMENTATION

Unfortunately, due to the strict lockdown procedures announced by the Government on 23rd March 2020, we will not be able to send post out to customers. This includes returning documents and new registration cards etc.

However, from Monday 30th March 2020 we hope to be able to email customers a copy of new registration cards etc. We will then send out the cards, and any documents that need to be returned, in the post as soon as the restrictions have been lifted.

We will also temporarily accept photocopies of import paperwork. Please send them to info@gccfcats.org This will return to the originals being required as soon as restrictions are lessened.

We apologise for any inconvenience and are doing our best to keep the disruption to the minimum possible. Thank you for your understanding.

CANCELLATION OF SUPREME SHOW & OFFICE CLOSURE

19 Mar 2020

Dear All

As most will be aware a number of GCCF shows have recently been cancelled, due to the ongoing issue of COVID-19. It has been decided, after due consideration, that the GCCF Supreme Cat Show 2020 should be cancelled. Whilst we are very much aware that the scheduled date is not till October, it was decided the responsible thing to do was to cancel, before investing large sums of money into an event which could ultimately be cancelled at a later date. This will, as far as we possibly can, ensure the safety of our staff, exhibitors and public alike.

It is unfortunate that we have had to take such drastic measures but we must be aware of the impact this could have on everyone, and act responsibly in accordance with Government legislation, also be aware that the circumstances are constantly changing.

Due to the control measures in place in regard to COVID-19, unfortunately we have also had to take the decision to close the office from 4.30 pm on Friday 20th March until further notice. This decision has not been taken lightly. We have put things in place to provide a reduced service but this may change if staff members become ill.

Phone calls and voicemails to the office will not be monitored, so we ask you to send your query in by email to: info@gccfcats.org where our staff members working from home will be able to help you.

If you are waiting on registration cards, these will be sent as soon as possible. We have reduced our printing & posting, so it may take a little longer than usual for you to receive registration cards. If you need to send us something that is urgent, then please send this by email and not by post.

And please remember that you can register kittens, and complete transfers via the online services on our website, rather than posting in the paper forms.

We thank you for your patience and understanding at this difficult time and, again, if there is anything that we can help with, please send us an email.

The Board and Staff of GCCF hope you all remain safe and well.

John H Hansson

(GCCF Chair)

CANCELLATION OF SHOWS & MEETINGS

17 Mar 2020

CANCELLATION OF SHOWS & MEETINGS

Following the announcement by the Prime Minister and Chief Medical Officer last night that all people should avoid social gatherings, the Board of Directors has concluded that all cat shows and club meetings must now be cancelled, to ensure we comply with any Health and Safety measures that may be imposed. It may be possible to hold your club meeting electronically .

We wish to assure Show Managers that we will do everything possible to ensure support for any shows which may be cancelled due the Covid-19 outbreak, show managers are advised to ensure, as far as possible, they minimise their costs. Relevant clubs have been contacted, and the question of support for those that have incurred costs will be discussed by the Finance Committee in a teleconference tomorrow. Anyone with an urgent enquiry should contact the GCCF Office so that it can be passed on to someone best placed to help.

There will be no June Council Meeting so delegates should not book any advance travel tickets. Board discussions will be by teleconference and email.

GCCF will do what it can to assist clubs but at this juncture it is too complex to state to what extent.

You are all strongly advised to follow any Government or Local Authority guidance in an effort to control as far as possible further spread of this Virus.